Apparatus for treating oil



A. B. STEEN APPARATUS FIOR TRETING OIL Dec., 17, 1929.`

Filed Sept. 22 1925 lu/vanto@ atented. Dec, 17, 1929 .FFE

.ARTHUR B. STEEN, OF HOUSTON, TAS, ASSIGNOR, VBY' MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOTEE TEXAS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION' OF DELAWAREAPPARATUS FOR. TREATING- OIL Application led. September 2t, 1923. SerialNo. 664,151.

rl`his invention relates in general to the dehydration of oil and to theresolution of emulsions, such as oil iield emulsions.

Petroleum as it comes from the ground 5 in some districts, such asCalifornia, Mexico and the gulf coast region, is often found in a stateot admixture or emulsion with Water or saline or soap solutions. ll amaware that many processes and various types ot apparatus have beenproposed for the resolution of these oil lield emulsions. Some of theschemes proposed have been partially successful in effecting adehydration of the more simple admintures or emulsions of oil and Waterbut so tar as l know none of the methods proposed have been commerciallysuccessful in effecting a resolution .ot the more refractory emulsions.Some of the methods proposed are so expensive that they cannot beconsidered from a, commercial standpoint and some require such extendedperiods of treatment .that they are not feasible for industrialapplication.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a means toregdecting an eliicient resolution ot oil held emulsions in a rapid andcontinuous manner so that the destruction of these emulsions and thetreeing ot the oil from the sediment and solutions with which it isadmixed may be carried on industrially.

l'have found that oil in which Water is present in emulsitied form maybe readily' dehydrated, even in the case ot the most retractoryemulsions, by subjecting' the oil or emulsion to the combined action otheat and Contact with tilamentary or threadlilre material of the natureot encelsior. When the emulsion in a heated condition is forced througheircelsior or similar threadlike material, the protective colloids orenvelopes which' enclose the minute drops et material of which theemulsion is termed are apparn entlvdestroyed by Contact vvith thethreads or filaments with. the resultant coalescence ot particles oflike phase and an effective seperation ot the water and sediment tromthe oil.

rlLhe invention emhraces a number otv special features which renderpracticable ot industrial application and by which it is distinguishedfrom the prior art.

lt is characterized by continuity and r'apidity of action thus avoidingthe extended periods of treatment and the prolonged 'settling requiredfor the treatment of retractory emulsions in prior methods of treating.For example, in some of the chemical processes which have been proposedfor the resolution of emulsions it is common practice to treat or dose abatch o t the emulsion in a tank and then allow the contents of the tankto settle for an extended period of time, sometimes with occasionaladditionaltreatments of the chemical., lt frequently happens that atreatment given to the emulsion breaks up the emulsion to a certainextent, that is, a coalescence of minute globules of Water Will` beformed so as to produce globules of cornparatively larger sizes, butinmany cases, even with this partial resolution and cualescence of Waterparticles, the entrained Water may remain in suspension for longVperiods betere it will settle out. lt is obvious that methods oftreatment involving such extended periods of time for completion areexpensive and inconvenient. ln accordance with my invention the emulsionis thoroughly resolved in an ecient and rapid manner, the Oilas it isremoved from the system being freed of sediment and Water to such anextent that it will satisfy pipe line requirements, or for that matterit is puried to such an extent as'may bedesired.

@ne feature of the invention contemplates the passage ot' the heated oilor emulsion through filtering media in a horizontal path of dowtherethrough. l have found, that it the oil or emulsion he passedthrough a ,substantially horizontal filter stratification by gravitytakes place practically simultaneously with the breaking up ot theemulsion and any tendency toward re-emulsication is avoided, thusettecting an etcient separation ot the `water and sediment from 'theoil. lin the preferred embodiment ot the invention a plurality etalternating hltering and settling zones are provided through which the.oil or emulsion is passed in a substantially horizontal path,

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Another feature of the invention is that a completek separation ofsediment and Water from the oil takes place While the oil is 4in aheated condition, since it has been found that a cooling of the oilretards the desired stratitication'and that more expeditious results canbe obtained by eecting stratiication While the oil is heated. lt ispreferable, however, to employ comparativelylow temperatures. [l certaindegree of heat' is re uired but the temperature ,should befheld as ovvas is consistntfwvith the effective destruction of the emulsiiiedbodiesa heat the emulsion to a temperature sucient for vaporization ofthe Water content, and in some cases to distill od oil vapors as Well. lhave found that it is not `necessary to heat the emulsion Vso as tovaporize the Water confuel over the systems in `which vaporilnition, '1srequired.

ln ordinary practice it will be found that in treating a petroleumemulsion portions of the emulsion Will brealr down and stratify into anoil andvvater layer sooner thany other portions. llt is accordingly oneof the features of the present invention to remove the Water andsediment from the system las itis formed to that extent increasing thecapacity of the apparatus and thus avoiding any tendency forre-emulsiication. Y

@ne feature of the invention is the positive forcing of the oil oremulsion through the contact or liltering material and the applica tionof such pressure to the :material being treated, under the temperaturesemployed, as Will prevent any Substantial vaporization of the oil.,

rlhe invention also contemplates an interchangeable arrangement b whichthe emul sion to be 'treated may beforced through the treating andsettling zones from dierent directions in such a manner as to preventthe packing and clogging of the filtering media and ina-ke 'possiblevthe continuous operation of the process for-an extended period oftime..

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of means foraiding various chemical methods of resolving emulsions.

'Various other advantages and features of' the invention are brought outin the following detailed description thereof, reference bein. had tothe accompanying drawings Whic i illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe invention and wherein:

Figure l is a plan vievv of an apparatus constructed in accordance withthe invention and constituting an embodiment thereof.

Figure n is a side elevation thereof.,

Figure 3 is an end eluevationo 'llhe apparatus illustrated. embraces aheat? ing chamber l and a plurality of treating lt has been proposed toImadera vessels ll. A pump l2 is provided for charging the voil oremulsion to be treated to the apparatus. The outlet line 13 from thepump preferably passes through a heat exchanger ld to which heat issupplied by means of the oil recovered in the process, as will presentlybe more fully explained, 'lhepipe 13 communicates with the chamber l()in which a heating coil l is disposed. llhis-coil is heated by thecirculation therethrough of a suitable heatin medium such as steam, andthe oil or emu sion passing through the chamber lf) may .be-heated toany desired temperature by reason of the heat exchange between the colland the oil or emulsion. As illustrated, the coil l5 is shown as beingprovided with optional sources of steam heat, such as a steam line 16adapted to be supplied with steam from a boiler or the like and anexhauststearn line 1'( which may receive exhaust steam from through thefiltering medium shall meet with sutlicient obstruction to penetrate anddestroy the minute lobules of Which the emulsion is composed thereshould nevertheless be adequate room between the particles of theobstruction media to insure the ready passage of the emulsion.

Each intervening space 20 serves as a set tling zone for thestratification of the Water and sediment whichl has been precipitatedinthe preceding treating sectionn lf desired, each Section 20 may beequipped with a pipe for drawing od water and sediment'n llt isordinarily unnecesasry, however, toprovide Water dravvo` means at suchfrequent inter vals and l have found that it is satisfactory to providedraw-od means every fevv sections. Thus, for exam le, each of thechambers ll may be equippe with drawer. lines, preferably one at eachend of'each chanber. As illustrated, at `the end of each of the sectionsll a draw-oil elbovv 2l entends from the lower portion' ofthe vessel iland communicates with a pipe 22 equi ped with a valve 25, which leads toa suita. le drain pipe or other conduit, such as a drainageditc'i 24u A.pipe places the upper portion of adjacent vessels Ill in communicationso that the oil or emulsion may dow successively through the severalunits.

lin the preferred construction plurality of sections or vessels .il areconnected in lll@ madera 'series and several of such batteries or seriesinstallations 'are provided so that the several series mayv be usedinterchangeably and in accordance with various methods ot operationhereinafter set forth. As illustrated, two series ot vessels ll areshown7 each series consisting of four units. lt is to be understood thatvarious modifications may be made both as to the number and arrangementof units and series employed.

, 'lhe heater 10 is provided with an outlet pipe 26, which is.illustrated as terminating in branch lines 27 and 289 having valves 27aand 28a, respectively. The pipe 27 extends to one end oi the two rows otliltering chambers and the pipe 28 extends to the other end. rllhe pipe28 has branch lines 29 and 30 which communicate with one end of the tworows of liltering chambers and the pipe 2'? has branch lines 3l and 32which communicate with the other end of the rows. rlhese several branchlines are provided with valves 293 80a, 31% 32a, respectively. rlhe pipe2l beyond its branch lines 3l and 32 has a continuation 33 provided withvalve 83a. A pipe 34C having a valve 34a forms an extension of the pipe28 and joins with pipe 38, beyond the point ot the valve 33a, to torni acommon draw-ofi line 35 which serves to conduct the treated oil to theexchanger la. A pipe 36, equipped'with a valve 36% is provided to removethe cooled oil to a suitable place ot storage. l pipe 37 having a valve37a may extend from one end of one of the rows ot the treating vesselsto the opposite end of the other row.

lt is apparent that with the arrangement illustrated the material beingtreated may be forced through the treating vessels ll in various ways.For example, the two rows may be operated in parallel. rlhus with valves27a, 37a and 34a closed and valves 28"-, 29a. 30a, 31a, 32a, and 33aopen the tluid may be passed through the two rows in parallel from theright to the lett as viewed in Figure l. rllhe direction of dow may bereversed by closing valves 28rL and 33a and opening valves 27a and 34a..With valves 27a, 29a, 327 and 34a closed and with valves 28a, 30a, 37a,31a, and 33a open the Huid may be passed in series trom one row to theother.

The several vessels or pipes l1 are thoroughly insulated to prevent lossot heat and the various pipes connecting these vessels with each otherand with the heater l() are also preferably insulated.

lln practicing the invention the oil or emulsion which it is desired totreat is introduced through the line 13 into the exchanger la whereinheat exchange takes place between the hot treated oil and the freshcharge whereby the former is cooled and the latter is heated. The oil oremulsion then passes through the heater l0 Where it is heated to thedesired'temperature. r this temperature ordinarily varies from about180-350 li". ln treating more refractory emulsions a temperatureapproximating 300 F. is generally required but in many cases atemperature below 200O h1 may be employed., 'lhe passage et the heatedoil into the insulated' treating vessels ll maintains these chambers ina heated condition.,

The fluid while in the heater and during the subsequent passage throughthe treating vessels is maintained under such pressure that there isv nosubstantial vapori'zatien, since, as stated, an edective separation ofthe oil, sediment and water can be edected without heating sutiicientlyfor vaporization. 'lhe pressure employed is ordinarily from about to i60lbs. Higher pressures may be used but there does not appear to be anyadvantage in so doing. ln general, it may be stated that only suchpressure should be used as is suliieient to prevent volatilization otherot the water or low boiling hydrocarbons and to overcome the trictionalresistance ofthe Huid in passing through the systern. llt is desirableto operate under a compartively low pressureg since better separationor' oil and water is secured at the lower pressures.

'lhe heated oil is passed through as many et the treating vessels ll asmay be round necessary. @il ield emulsions dider greatly as to thefacility with which theyV may be broken up. ln' some cases a passagethrough one or two filter sections will suihee to malte a completeseparation.. ln other cases a number of sections must be used. ln thecase of the more refractory emulsions it is trey duently necessary touse trom 6 to l0 filter sections each ot which is approximately 2O lt.in length and arranged with alternate contact and settling zones, asshown in the drawings., lt is to be understood that the temperature usedand the amount ot contact and settling space required will vary with theemulsion treated.

l During the operation or the process the water and sedimentary mattersseparated out from. the oil are drawn oil by the several lines 22, thevalves 23 being regulated so as to draw off the water substantially asit is stratified. ll`he treated. oil passes through the system and alterbeing cooled in the exchanger lll to a temperature below that at whichvany material vaporization may occur is released to suitable storagemeans.

liter oil or emulsion has been passed through the contact vessels in agiven direction tor a time there is a tendency for the eacelesior topack due to the pressure of the Huid and a tendency for the treatinginaterial to clog up due to the deposit therein et sedimentarymaterials. lt is therefore preferable to occasionally reverse-thedirection ot dow et duid through the contact niaterial. ln this wayexcessive packing ot the material is prevented and solid articlescollected are to a large 'extent flus ed out. lt is thus possible tooperate for extended 'periods of time without the necessity of cleaningthe apparatus.

My invention is particularly adapted to be employed. in the treatment ofemulsions with various chemical reagents. Thus it has been proposed totreat oil field emulsions with va- 1'@ rious water-softening agents suchas metallic Sulfates,lcaustic soda and the like, with salts or soaps ofslufonic acids derived from the purification of coal tar or petroleumproducts and various other reagents. Some of these chemical agents havebeen used more or less successfully in the case of the less refractoryemulsions. ln treating the more refractory emulsions, however,considerable diculty has been experienced and it is trel quentlynecessary to allow the emulsion, ,after having been treated with thechemical, to stand for long periods of time in order to settle out thewater and sediment and in many -cases it is necessary to retreat theemulsion a number of times. ln the practice of my invention the reagentdesired may be admitted to the oil oremulsion to be treated, `forexample at the pump 12, and the mixed oil andere is present in emulsiedform comprising an elongated horizontally disposed container formed withspaced treating sections and interposed settling sections, a chargingline through which the emulsion is introduced into one end of thecontainer, a preheater in the charging line for heating the emulsion toa predetermined temperature, a pump for charging the emulsion into thecontainer un- A. iB. STEEN.

and reagent heated and then contactedwith y the excelsior or otherequivalentmaterial in the manner hereinbetore described in detail. Bysuch means ot treatment even the-most refractory emulsions are readilybroken up, 'the aqueous solutions being readily separated out trom theoil. llt is thus possible by means ot my invention to avoid theprolonged periods of settling and treatment that have been previouslyrequired.

Illhe invention has a special Held of usefulness in the treatment ofcrude petroleum and emulsions as received from the Wells, since it ispossible to reduce the Water and iB. S. content ofthe petroleum to pipeline requirements in an efcient and rapid manner.. When wells containingrefractory emulsions are encountered it is possible to treat the oilimmediately and pass it on to the refineries, thus avoiding thenecessity of having to provide large storage space for the treatment andsettling ot the emulsions for extended periods ot time. ,l

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth inconnection with apparatus having a particular construction andarrangement ot parts and mode ot.

operation. it is obvious that various changes and modifications may bemade therein, while securing to a greater or less extent some or all otthe beneiits ot the invention, without departing from the spirit andscope thereof. Therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as areindicated in the appended claim.

Whatl claim is:

Apparatus ior treating oil in which water

